February 10, 2008
Roy Scheider, who was Oscar nominated for "
The French Connection" and for "
All That Jazz," but best known for his role as the fearless police chief in "
Jaws," died Sunday at 75.
Scheider died Sunday at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences hospital in Little Rock a hospital spokesman said. The hospital did not release his cause of death, but he had been diagnosed with myeloma in 2004 and subsequently underwent a bone marrow transplant.
Born in Orange, N.J., he competed in baseball and boxing before turning to theater in college, where he studied drama at Rutgers and Franklin and Marshall. After a stint in the military, he went onstage in New York, appearing with the New York Shakespeare Festival and winning an Obie for the play "
Stephen D."
After appearing on soap "
The Edge of Night," he launched his film career with "
The Curse of the Living Corpse." His material started to improve with "
Star!," "
Paper Lion," "
Stiletto" and "
Puzzle of a Downfall Child," although he continued to guest on soaps such as "
Love of Life" and "
Secret Storm."
His career took a major leap forward when he co-starred with Jane Fonda in "
Klute" and then alongside Gene Hackman in "
The French Connection," netting his first Oscar nom for the role. He played a cop again in actioner "
The Seven-Ups."
Many viewers identify Scheider with his role as police chief Martin Brody in Steven Spielberg's 1975 "
Jaws." He reprised the role in "
Jaws 2" after appearing in "
Marathon Man" and "
Sorcerer."
Scheider's career hit another high point with Bob Fosse's 1979 "
All That Jazz," in which he was Oscar-nommed for his role as the womanizing choreographer Joe Gideon.
From then on he was a durable thesp often called upon to play U.S. presidents or military officers, appearing in films including "
Blue Thunder," "
2010," "
52 Pick-Up," and "
The Russia House." He had a recurring role on "
SeaQuest DSV" and appeared on TV shows including "
Third Watch" and "
Law and Order: Criminal Intent."
He also appeared in "
The Peacekeeper," "
Red Serpent," "
The Punisher" and "
The Rainmaker." In his last role, he played a policeman in the film "
Iron Cross."
He is survived by his wife Brenda and two daughters and a son.
R.I.P. Roy. You will be missed.